Means for holding articles of trim and mounting same



Nov. 24, 1970 G. v JAKl-:wAY

MEANS FOR HOLDING ARTICLES 0F TRIM AND MOUNTING SAME Filed Nov. 8, 1967 Liza IIx

,mi a.

.J ,M wa, 4, /V x H\ mm H\ 6. H\ H Ik fpm NVENTR. GERALD v JAkEwAY United States Patent O Int. Cl. G09 U.S. Cl. 40-125 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A containment apparatus for holding and mounting objects such as decorative trim letters and the like, having indexing portions for alignment with selected parts of a given article or device to which the objects are to be attached and including a sheet-like member defining a recess for each such object, the peripheral configuration of which is a substantial duplicate of that of the individual such object, such that each object will t closely into its recess, and a retaining means for retaining the objects Within their respective recesses, comprising an element which fits iiush against one side of the member defining the recesses and behind each such recess, such element carrying a pressure-sensitive adhesive which contacts a portion of the object within the recess.

BACKGROUND Decorative objects such as trim letters have long been used on manufactured articles such as consumer goods, both for the purpose of decorating the same to provide aesthetic appeal and also for the purpose of aixing trademarks or other such symbolic devices to the goods. For many years, the predominant, if not the exclusive practice, was to use a mechanical connector such as a bolt, screw, rivet, clip, or the like to attach the decorative objects. In recent times, however, the availability of new and rather remarkable types of adhesives have made it possible to mount such decorative objects adhesively in a substantially permanent manner.

Mounting the objects by adhesives was a very significant improvement, particularly from the point of view of the amount of material and manufacturing effort involved, as well as the amount and cost of labor in preparation and the like. However, the proper relative positioning and orientation of each individual trim object to be mounted has posed troublesome questions, particularly in high-speed ma-ss production manufacturing and assembly techniques. That is, Where bolts, screws and the like were used, the device would have appropriate holes formed in it as a part of its manufacture, and properly locating the trim objects was no problem, Where adhesives are used, however, no such holes or other locating indicia is provided. Still, the trim must be installed at precisely the proper location specified by the designer, of course, and this location must therefore be found by some other means. Also, a need has long existed for some sort of containment apparatus or packaging means by which a plurality of individual different types of trim letters or the like could be shipped, stored, and supplied as a correlated set or unit, in which all of the letters or other such objects required to make up a given word or symbol were provided, preferably in some way which would facilitate the actual mounting thereof.

SUMMARY The present invention provides a novel means of extreme usefulness in the aforementioned areas, wherein a full set of letters or other such trim devices is not only ICC provided as a complete grouping, but is held in containment for safe and eflicient shipping, storage, and usage, andis further held with each individual such letter or device in its proper position and alignment with respect to the other such letter-s or objects, so as to actually form the desired word or Symbol which is to be attached to a given article of manufacture.

The device of the invention is primarily intended for use `with letters or objects which are mounted adhesively, and it affords a surface against which pressure may be applied to mount the objects without exposing them directly to the tool or instrument by which the pressure is being exerted. Furthermore, the same structure which contains and holds the trim letters or objects also provides indexing edges or portions for simply and easily orienting and positioning the grouping or pattern of individual letters at' the precise place where they are to be mounted. In the most preferred embodiment, this is accomplished by hinged flap-like extremities which may be fitted around a corner or the like of the article of manufacture, to simply and easily orient and position the trim letters properly in a two-dimensional manner.

DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear-side elevation of the containment apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional end elevation taken through the vertical plane II-II of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of an individual trim letter, showing the structural nature thereof;

FIG. 5a is a sectional elevation of a trim letter according to FIG. 4, shown in a stage of its manufacture and illustrating a preferred step in such manufacture; and

FIG. 5b is a sectional elevation similar to FIG. 5a but showing the completed step.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred nature of the present containment apparatus is best seen in FIGS. l, 2, and 3. Essentially, this embodiment of the apparatus is formed from a section of sheet-like material such as paperboard or cardboard which preferably has a thickness substantially the same as that of the individual trim letters or like objects in connection with Iwhich the apparatus is to be used. This sheet of cardboard or the like is folded over along its top to provide a front or forward containment member 12 in which a desired number of recesses 14 is formed, These recesses have a configuration or peripheral shape which corresponds directly to that of the trim letters or other such objects involved in the process, and the recesses extend completely through the thickness of the cardboard forming the member 12. Thus, each such recess 14 actually comprises an aperture passing through the member 12, from vone side to the other thereof. Because each such recess is a substantial duplicate of a given individual trim letter, such trim letter will closely it into the recess, meaning that all or at least some of the periphery of the letter are likely to touch adjacent portions of the periphery of the recess, but not necessarily implying that the trim letter is held in place merely by a frictional engagement alone. Since, as stated, the thickness of the sheet forming the member 12 is substantially the same as that of the individual trim letters, a trim letter positioned within its recess will have its end surfaces in substantially Hush alignment with the corresponding side surfaces of the member 12. This is illustrated in FIG. 2, where a trim letter 16 (in this case, the capital letter O) is fitted into a recess or aperture designated 14a (see FIG. 1 also).

As stated above, the cardboard or other sheet member forming the containment member 12 is folded upon itself along its top extremity. 'Ihis provides the frontal portion which forrns the member 12 mentioned above, and it also provides a rear portion 18 which forms part of a means for retaining trim letters within their respective recesses or apertures; specifically, the flap-like rear portion 18 defines a retainer element which, when folded over, lies juxtaposed to and contiguous with the rearward side of the member 12 (FIG. 2). Thus, the retainer element 18 serves as a closure for one of the otherwise open ends of the various recess apertures 14.

Attached to and extending along the interior surface of the folded-over flap portion 18 is an adhesive strip 20, preferably comprising a layer o'f pressure-sensitive adhesive which presents a sticky :Hoor at the bottom or innermost end of the various recess apertures; preferably, the adhesive 20 is not merely localized in alignment with each such recess, but extends laterally thereof, behind both the recesses themselves and the interstitial portions of member 12 located -between the recesses. In this manner the adhesive will thereby additionally serve to secure the flap-like retainer element 18 to the rear surface of the front member 12.

In either event, the adhesive strip 20 will come into direct contact with and grip the adjacent surface of each of the various trim letters or objects 16, at least when the letters have been fully inserted into their recesses and the respective side surfaces of the letters and of member 12 are in substantially flush alignment. This adhesive engagement between strip 20 and the trim objects will generally be suicient to securely hold the various letters or other such objects within the containment apparatus, regardless of the various adverse circumstances such as inverted positioning, vibration, etc. to which such apparatus may be subjected in storage and shipping. However, in order to be completely certain that the retention of the trim objects will remain secure at all times, a strip of lightweight, flexible adhesive tape or the like 120 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) is applied over the outer side of array of objects 16 and against portions of the outer face of the containment member 12. This strip considerably augmente the retention of the objects, since they thus are secured between a pair of spaced adhesive members; moreover, the strip 120 serves to provide a very valuable additional function, to be noted subsequently.

The containment apparatus of the invention is used to greatest advantage where, as illustrated in FIG. l, the various trim objects or letters 16 are arranged in the specic pattern and relative alignment with which they are to be installed or attached to an article of manufacture; i.e., letters such as those illustrated may be arranged and attached or anchored to the containment apparatus to form the particular word (such as a trademark or the like) which they are to spell out when mounted on the article of manufacture or commerce for Iwhich they are intended. In a similar manner, letters and design objects may, either by themselves or integrated together, form a desired integrated design device, whose purpose may simply be one of aesthetic value. The term intelligence symbol is used herein to designate any such letter and/or design combination, whether or not it actually spells out a word or symbol of recognized meaning.

Portions of the containment apparatus of the invention are intended for use as indexing means, by which the entire apparatus may quickly and easily be oriented upon the article or device to which the decorative letters are to be mounted, to thereby quickly position the letters themselves. Such portions preferably are some of the side edges such as 22 and 24 of the member i12 (FIG. l). That is, some of the edge extremities of this member may be simply cut along predetermined lines which are directly correlated with the location of the various recesses 14, such that when these edges are placed in direct alignment or registration with certain similar edges (or lines, seams, or the like) on the article of manufacture, the decorative letters anchored in the various recesses will automatically be properly positioned with respect to the article or device. In cases where the article or devrce has an appropriately near or conveniently-located corner, and particularly where the article or device comprises a panel such as a trunk lid on an automobile, the indexing edges 22 and 24 of the apparatus may advantageously comprise seams or scored lines by which flaps 23, -25 are hinged to the remainder of the member 12. In such a circumstance, the indexing of the apparatus need not be accomplished merely by visibly aligning edge extremities of the respective containment apparatus and article of manufacture, but may instead be done by folding the flaps 23, 25 around the corresponding edges of the article of manufacture and bringing the seams or hinging lines 22 and 24 into flush abutment with the corresponding edges of the panel or the like. As will be appreciated, when two such aps 23 and 25 are provided, practically no room for error remains, since all the worker must do is pull the aforesaid seams into contact with the corner in the panel or the like, and the angularly-related orientation of the hinging seams will immediately position the letter grouping in each of the two possible dimensions.

Thus, the usage of the present apparatus insofar as its function as a containment and holding device is concerned, and also insofar as its function as an indexing means is concerned, will very readily be appreciated. However, the letters or other such decorative objects or elements themselves preferably have the structure illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein a section 16 of a typical or exemplary such object is illustrated. This structure includes a layer of material 26 forming the actual trim letter or object, preferably a hard and generally rigid material such as a shiny metal, to one side of which is attached a layer of a resilient and yieldable material 28, preferably a rubbery substance which will absorb and dissipate some shock. Immediately outwardly of the resilient layer 28 is a. coating or layer 30 of a suitably strong pressuresensitive adhesive (which may actually be integral with or saturated into the rubbery layer 28), and immediately outward of the adhesive 30 is a relatively thin protective layer 32, of paper or the like, preferably having a slick synthetic facing lying directly in contact with the adhesive, so as to be more readily removable intact therefrom. Such a protective cover or liner is well known in the use of pressure-sensitive adhesives generally, as will readily be appreciated.

Integrated (i.e., mutually attached) adhesive structures including a resilient layer having a pressure-sensitive adhesive face covered by a liner or cover are presently available in sheet form as a commercial commodity, and such an integrated adhesive structure is to be preferred for the layers 28, 30 and 32 noted just above. In accordance with the present invention, the decorative trim letters or other such objects are themselves used as a cutting die to sever their own individual adhesive layers from a sheet of such an integrated adhesive structure. This is illustrated generally in FIGS. 5a and 5b, where a trim object 16 is shown resting atop a larger sheet of the layered adhesive structure 28, 30, 32. Immediately beneath the sheet of layered adhesive stock 28, 30, 32 is positioned a. cooperating half (i.e., a female portion) of a die 34 having substantially the same overall configuration as a given one of the various recesses or apertures 14 discussed previously, with a particularly-shaped single such die portion for each different letter or decorative symbol. With the trim object 16 positioned in register over the female die portion 34, pressure (indicated by the downwardly-pointed arrows) is applied to the trim object, and it is forced through the integrated sheet of adhesive stock, thereby severing from this stock an individual adhesive element having precisely the same peripheral shape as the trim object itself |(FIG. 5b). It is in this form that the letters or objects are then anchored to the containment apparatus, by insertion into their respective recess apertures.

In the preferred form just described, the letters or trim objects making up the intelligence symbol to be mounted upon a given device thus have their face or uncoated and unprotected surface placed in contact with the inner adhesive strip of the containment apparatus, whereas the protective liner 32 of the layered adhesive structure is oriented outwardly, generally flush with the outer surface of member 12, with the outer adhesive strip or tape 120 in adhesive contact with both the liner 32 and the said outer surface of the member 12. In this form, all that need be done to permanently mount the intelligence symbol upon a given external device or article of manufacture is to remove the protective liner 32 from the objects, utilize the indexing edges 22, 24 and/or aps 23, 25 to properly orient the array of letters or the like, and then bring the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer directly into contact with a surface of such an external device. As soon as this adhesive layer comes into contact with such a surface, adhesion will of course commence and the letters or objects will be secured to the external device. It is generally desired to apply some pressure in order to obtain maximum adhesion, however, and in accordance with the present device the presence of the flap-like retainer element 18 provides an eminently suitable mask or cushioning member to which such pressure may be applied, as by a rubber mallet or automated equivalent tool, without actually contacting or damaging the otherwise unprotected outer face of the various trim letters. In this connection, the aforementioned preferred cardboard structural material is well suited for this function, since while it may crush somewhat under pressure of this nature in cushioning the trim letters, it nonetheless will protect the decorative letters from direct contact and possible injury resultant therefrom. Once the pressure has been applied and the letters are in firm adhesion to the external device, the containment apparatus may merely be grasped and pulled away, thereby leaving the decorative letters permanently installed on the external device, in precisely the pattern required to form the desired intelligence symbol.

It is in connection with the removal of the protective liner 32 from the adhesive 30 and resilient layer 28 that the exible adhesive strip 120 serves its highly useful additional function mentioned previously. That is, this strip may readily be grasped and pulled from the outer face of containment member 12, and when this is done the individual piece of protective liner 32 adhering to the adhesive layer on each individual letter or object will automatically be stripped away from the latter. This exposes the adhesive itself, of course, whereas the pieces of liner 32 remain on the strip 120, which can then merely be discarded. Thus, a single rapid movement or operation is all that is required to place the array of letters or objects in complete readiness for installation, and an almost equally simple and fast operation will properly orient and locate the entire array upon the external device for attachment thereto, which is itself an exceedingly simple and fast operation. As will be appreciated, mounting of the trim letters in this manner is extremely rapid and accurate, since even though the intelligence symbol forms a relatively large Word or design device, it nonetheless may be applied with a minimum of rapidly repetitive strokes or applications of pressure, such that all of the various letters are thereby attached to the external device in a substantially simultaneous manner.

It is entirely conceivable that upon examining the foregoing disclosure, those skilled in the art may devise em'- bodiments of the concept involved which differ somewhat from the embodiment shown and described herein, or may make various changes in structural details to the present embodiment. Consequently, all such changed embodiments or variations in structure as utilize the concepts of the invention and clearly incorporate the spirit thereof are to be considered as within the scope of the claims appended herebelow, unless these claims by their language specifically state otherwise.

I claim:

1. Containment apparatus for holding trim letters and like intelligence symbol objects in arrestment, as for storage and installation of such objects, said apparatus comprising: a containment member having an aperture extending therethrough whose peripheral configuration is a substantial duplicate of that of the object to be held, such that said object will iit lclosely into such aperture; means engaging said containment member and a surface portion of an object contained within such aperture to retain the object therein; said means being releasable to allow release of said object from said aperture; and a cushioning cover member disposed generally parallel to said containment member and overlapping said aperture, for cushioning force applied to the object within such aperture in the mounting of such object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for retaining said object in said aperture comprises an adhesive means for adhering contact with said surface portion of said object and said containment member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said adhesive means comprises an adhesive strip extending across at least a portion of said aperture on one side of said containment member and in adhesive contact with such side of such member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said cushioning cover member overlaps a second side of said containment member which is opposite from the said one side thereof which is in adhesive contact with said adhesive strip.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said adhesive means is also in adhering contact with said cushioning cover member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cushioning cover member is attached to said containment member and comprises a laminar layer extending across said aperture.

7. In combination, a trim letter or like decorative object and a containment apparatus for holding such object, as for storage and installation purposes, comprising: a containment member having an outer surface dening a recess whose peripheral configuration s a substantial duplicate of that of the object to be held, such that said object will fit closely into such recess; a generally hard and rigid object fitted into said recess; said object having a face inserted into said recess and a generally flat rear side which is closer to said containment member surface than said object face; a layer of resilient shock-absorbing material adhesively attached to said rear side of said object; a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive on the exposed side of such resilient material and at the mouth of said recess; means engaging said containment member and a surface 'portion of said object disposed in said recess to retain the object in place therein; said means being releasable to allow release of said object from said recess; and said layer of shock-absorbing material acting to cushion force applied to said face of said object to attach it to an external surface by said pressure-sensitive adhesive.

8. In combination, a trim letter or like decorative object and a containment apparatus for holding such object, as for storage and installation purposes, comprising: a containment member; said member having an anchoring station for said object and including anchoring means for holding said object in place at said anchoring station; and said member including indexing means arranged at a predetermined distance and orientation with respect to said object and with respect to an external device to which such object is to be attached, such that said indexing means when aligned in a predetermined relationship with such external device will automatically properly position said object so that the same may then be mounted upon such device in the desired position with respect thereto.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said indexing means comprises at least a pair of indexing edge portions of said containment member, each of said edge portions spaced a predeterminedand particular distance from said object and correlated with selected parts of said external device such that said edge portions may be aligned in a predetermined relationship with such selected parts t0 index and position said containment member with respect thereto and thereby locate said object on such external device for proper mounting of the object thereon.

10. Containment apparatus for holding trim letters and like intelligence symbol objects in arrestment, as for storage and installation of such objects, said apparatus comprising: a containment member having an object-retaining portion with an outer surface defining a recess whose peripheral configuration is a substantial duplicate of that of the object to be held, such that said object will t References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,106,340 8/1914 Bellamy.

1,299,353 4/ 19 19 Kabel'.

2,591,779 4/ 1952 Buck.

3,287,192 1l/1966 Pohlenz 156-3 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,014,894 12/ 1965 Great Britain.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner 

